Learning Curves Read online

  Learning Curves

  Molly O’Hare

  Contents

  Preface

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Stumbling Into Him Sneak Peek

  Also by Molly O’Hare

  About the Author

  Copyright 2020 Molly O’Hare

  License Notes

  All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form. Stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means. This includes, but is not limited to, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise. No part of this book may be reproduced or copied without prior consent of the author & publisher. All characters and towns are figments of the author’s imagination and bear no resemblance to any person living or deceased if there is any resemblance it is entirely coincidental.

  Cover art: Wildelake Creative

  Photo: iStock

  Disclaimer: This title is intended for mature audiences due to adult situations and languages.

  * * *

  Molly O’Hare

  Be You Publishing, LLC

  www.MollyOHareauthor.com

  This book is dedicated to anyone who has felt they weren’t good enough. Anyone who has been looked upon like they are less.

  YOU AREN’T.

  You are a fucking unicorn. I mean it. The world is a hell of a lot better because you are here. Be you. Be Proud. And, most of all, rock your shit, ‘cause damn, you are a fucking Rockstar!

  P.S. Can I have your autograph?

  Preface

  It’s no secret that I, Molly O’Hare, have learning disabilities and I’m dyslexic. I’ve made them public and I’ve talked about them openly in my reader group along with other author friends.

  So, why in the world am I telling you this?

  Here’s why.

  When I was in school many many years ago, I needed to see a psychologist to be evaluated once again. This wasn’t new to me since it’s something you have to go through a lot. I’ve had reading, writing, spelling and math issues, my whole life. Every few years, you had to be re-evaluated. No big deal.

  However, this particular psychologist took one look at me saw that I was overweight, I was a woman, and that I’ve had these disabilities my whole life and decided right off the bat, I was a waste of his time. After he’d completed my evaluation, he returned with an attitude. I won’t even mention the snide comments he made under his breath when I had trouble with a word or my math was off during the test. He then proceeded to tell me I would never amount to anything. I would never be able to read, write, and spell like a “normal” person. I would never make it in the world, and I might as well give up now.

  As I said before, this wasn’t my first evaluation. I was older here. Not only was I older, but I’d already overcome so much. Nonetheless his words still gutted me. I’d be lying if I said his words didn’t ultimately shape me for a long time. They put me into some really dark places and even to this day, his comments and the eighty-page document with his spewed garbage (that I promised myself once I publish this book I will burn), still creeps into my head every once in a while.

  I can remember days I would have trouble comprehending something I read or I’d get bad marks on a paper for spelling and grammar mistakes. His words would always echo the loudest at those times. I foolishly thought I would never amount to anything because of this person. The same person who was in charge of helping people just like me, who had multiple doctorate degrees told me I was nothing. So, it had to be true and why bother, right?

  No.

  That couldn’t be the answer. I wasn’t willing to give up. Instead I used his cruel words spoken with disgust as my driving force. Not only to prove him wrong about me, but to prove no one should be thrown into a box of not good enough. Those words made me fight harder. They made me push myself. They made me stronger in the end. And for that, I thank him.

  My reading disabilities, my dyslexia, my spelling disabilities, and hell even my math disabilities, did not and would not define me. Before I realized it I was moved up to regular and even honors classes. I tutored kids that were just like me. I was able to show them tips and tricks I’d figured out along the way.

  Because of him, I made a difference. Not only in myself, but with people that were struggling exactly how I was.

  Just because someone learns something a little bit differently than others, does not mean they are stupid or they are less. They do not get thrown into a not good enough box because they need help.

  I come to you with my story now because after his words, if I had read something like this or knew there were others out there like me, I might not have fallen so hard as I did.

  This book goes out to anyone and everyone that has ever been looked down upon. Who’s ever been told they weren’t good enough, not pretty enough, not thin enough, whoever has a learning disability or something different about them. Something that sometimes they try to hide.

  That’s bullshit.

  Those things do not define you. They make you who you are as a whole. And, that’s pretty fucking awesome if you ask me.

  As for me, I can look back and smile. I was told I’d never be able to read or write and I’m publishing this book. My sixth book.

  You can accomplish anything you want in this world if you believe in yourself.

  I hope these words can touch anyone that was or is feeling the way that I did. Even just a little bit.

  The moral of the story: you are who you are. You can do anything in this world. I believe in you. And if I can do it, so can you.

  As I say in every book I publish, you are a motherfucking unicorn. Own that shit. Be true to who you are and live the best goddamn life that you can live.

  Oh yeah, and before I forget. I say wholeheartedly, fuck that dude. Fuck him in his fuckity face and I mentally punch him in the fucking throat, because look at me now, bitch! And I can’t wait to burn that fucking document.

  Chapter One

  “I don’t want to go to school!”

  Spencer Hurley sighed as he looked down at his nine-year-old daughter, Annabelle.

  “Come on, Dad. Please, don’t make me.” She pouted. Which any other time would have gotten her anything she wanted, but not today. “Can’t you be one of those cool dads that lets their kids—”

  He gasped. “I am one of those cool dads!” Spencer narrowed his eyes at her, daring her to deny it.

  When Belle responded with an eye roll, Spencer’s jaw dropped.

  “Sure, sure, the coolest, Dad,” she placated him. “But you know what would make you ten times cooler?”

  “I’m on the edge of my seat.” He crossed his arms over his chest. Belle was too good at this. But then again, she was his daughter.

  “Daaaad, would you please listen? Don’t you want to know how to get into the Cool Dad Hall of Fame?”

  Spencer artfully cocked his brow. “How about not negotiating with my nine-year-old.”

  “No, it’s letting your most amazing, coolest daughter stay home with you.” She smiled sweetly at him,
trying her best to win her argument. “I don’t know if you can even handle being alone here. How would you survive without me?”

  He held his hand over his heart in mock hurt. “Who are you? Grandpa?” His father probably put her up to this… actually, he could bet money on it.

  Belle ignored him as she continued, “There’s more unpacking I can do. I’ll even make sure everything goes in the correct place. Maybe I can even help you pick out some graphics for your clients? You don’t need school to pick out graphics. How hard could it be?”

  “So, my master’s degree is what? A fire starter?” Both Spencer’s brows shot to the ceiling, as he stared down at her.

  As soon as Belle realized what she’d said, her eyes widened.

  “Exactly.”

  “What? No. Come on, you know I didn’t mean it like that, Dad.”

  “Sure, you didn’t.” Spencer rolled his eyes before he smirked at her. His signature smirk, the same smirk Belle sent right back to him.

  He had to hold in his pride. She was the spitting image of him in every way. And with each day that passed, she acquired more and more of his mannerisms.

  Case in point, the killer smirk.

  He’d be lying if he said it wasn’t a little frightening, though. Especially when she played him like a master. His little prodigy. Spencer’s chest swelled.

  Thank fuck Belle got nothing from her mother. He shuddered at the thought. They both dodged a bullet there.

  As their smirk stand-off continued, Spencer studied her. One of them was bound to break first and with having a daughter exactly like him, he’d never live it down if he was the one.

  He was not going to break first.

  Hell no.

  That’s how you let the terrorists win. Okay fine, she had him wrapped so tightly around her finger, that if she’d said jump, he’d say how high. He knew that, and she knew that, but he’d be damned if he lost in a smirk standoff.

  Over his dead body.

  He did have pride after all.

  Just as he thought he was about to win though, something flashed in Belle’s eyes. Then to his shock, she looked away, quickly darting her eyes to the front door and then back to him.

  Spencer jolted back as a haunted look appeared on her face; it was a straight sucker punch to his gut.

  Fuck.

  Spencer knew what that look was. It was one of the reasons why he’d waited longer than he needed to get her re-enrolled in school.

  Mustering all he could Spencer did his best to give Belle an encouraging smile. “I know, Belle, but you have to go. You can’t avoid it forever.”

  She spoke her next words in such a quiet whisper he had to strain to hear them. “Please, Dad. I don’t want to go through that again. What if they all make fun of me like before?”

  Her words were like a knife to his soul. As a father, you do everything you can to protect your children. And when you fail, there wasn’t a worse feeling.

  The education system failed her.

  Her mother had failed her.

  And, he’d failed her.

  It’s why a month ago he packed up all their belongings and moved giving them a fresh start. He vowed to do whatever it took to make her see how truly special she was. And, he refused to ever have his daughter feel any less than she was again.

  Annabelle looked up at her dad with large worried eyes making his heart break the impossible inch more.

  This had absolutely nothing to do with a child not wanting to go to school.

  No, this was much more.

  Spencer crouched at his knees so he could look Annabelle in the eyes and prayed she would believe him. “No one is going to make fun of you, Belle,” he promised. “This isn’t going to be a repeat of your old school. That won’t happen again.”

  “How do you know?” she asked.

  “We moved here because I know for a fact this school can help you. They have teachers that specialize in what you need. I did my research.” The corner of his mouth turned up. “Besides, if anyone does, let me know. I’ll punch them.” He said it with such conviction, Belle’s face broke into a toothy grin as she laughed.

  “You can’t punch kids, Dad.”

  Spencer’s eyebrows knitted together. “I can think it. No rules against that.”

  “And you say I’m a drama queen?” She threw herself into his arms almost toppling him over. “Love you, Dad.”

  “Love you too, kiddo.” He squeezed her tight for a few seconds before letting her go. “Let’s get you off to school. Nothing worse than showing up late on your first day. It’ll set a bad example.”

  Belle cocked her brow looking over his right shoulder. “You do know we’re already late, right?” A small giggle escaped her lips causing Spencer to snap his head around to look at the clock. “Shi— I mean shoot.”

  “It’s okay, Dad. I’m sure being late on your first day in a new school won’t follow me for the rest of my life.” She shrugged, giving him an evil grin. “And if it does, I’ll make sure the blame is on you.”

  “Wow.” He placed his hand over his heart. “That’s real thoughtful of you.”

  The little she-devil winked. “Just doing my part.”

  Is this the shit my father had to deal with raising me? The man needs a fucking medal… “Thanks for that.”

  As she smiled happily at him, Spencer shook his head. “How did you get so smart?”

  “Not from you,” she shot back.

  “Oh, you little shit. I’m gonna get you.” Spencer pounced going into an all-out tickle war between them.

  Within seconds Belle was screaming “Uncle” as she tried to kick him off as she laughed. After a few more seconds, Spencer let up playfully narrowing his eyes at her. “That’s what you get, missy. I’ll remember this the next time you ask me for a dog.”

  “I take it back! I take it all back. I get all my smarts from you. And my looks, and my personality. It’s the best personality there is. Yep, one hundred percent. I’ve got all my good parts from you. None from Grandpa. Just you—”

  “Nope. Too late, Belle. You can’t soften the blow now.” He pointed to his head. “It’s locked away. I’ve got at least ten good uses for it.”

  “Daaaaad,” she groaned.

  “Don’t dad me. You might be smart, but —”

  “Not that smart.” It was as if all the air was sucked out of the room.

  Without hesitation, Spencer dropped back to his knees, pulling his daughter into his arms. “No. None of that. You hear me. You are smart, Annabelle. You’re a hell of a lot smarter than I was at your age.”

  “That’s not what she said.”

  It took everything inside of Spencer not to scream in frustration at Belle’s words. This was another reason why they moved.

  Fuck that woman!

  Hell, it had been years since they’d seen her mother, but that bitch’s parting words of Annabelle’s struggles had left a permanent mark on his baby.

  Fuck, Spencer wanted to murder his ex. Bring her back to life, and then murder her again.

  Fuck her.

  The only good thing that came from her was Annabelle, everything else was a disaster.

  He scolded himself just as he’d done countless times before. It was a one-night stand that ended in her getting pregnant and his life changing forever.

  His father’s words came rushing back to him. This is why you always wrap it, son. ‘Cause that one night could end up being one hell of a mess.

  Spencer hated himself for getting so drunk that night he forgot to do just that.

  Not because he got Annabelle out of it, no. Her coming into his life was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to him.

  It was everything else that went along with it. Some people were pure evil and only cared about themselves. He learned that the hard way, multiple times when it came to Belle’s mother.

  He tried, Lord knows he did.

  As soon as she found him a few weeks later and informed him she was pregnant he
tried to make them work. The whole time they were together, if you could even call it that, was a disaster. If she wasn’t cheating on him, she stole from him. Money, car, you name it. And if she wasn’t stealing it from him, she was demanding it. And every time he called her out on it, she’d threaten him with taking his daughter away, or worse. He wasn’t willing to take that chance.

  So, he put up with it. He had to.

  Spencer was going to be a father.

  After giving birth to Belle, she disappeared for the first year. Just up and left him and Belle alone. It was so bad, he had to move them in with his dad.

  Thank the Universe he had his dad.

  And when Belle’s mother did come back, she demanded more money. Money that he didn’t have. And if he didn’t give it to her, she threatened to have Belle taken away from him.

  Then, once Annabelle was diagnosed in the first grade with her learning disabilities it got worse.

  Way worse.

  Children never forget their first scar. Especially, when that scar came from someone that was supposed to love them unconditionally.

  “She’s stupid, Spencer. She’s pretty much wasted space if you ask me…” As her parting words hung throughout the house, Spencer looked behind him only to see Annabelle staring blankly at the spot her mother just vacated. Those words spoken with such disdain and directed toward a tiny Annabelle hiding behind him, changed his girl forever.

  He hated her mother with every ounce inside of him. She was never allowed to step foot in his home again, nor was she allowed near his daughter.